1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a novel 2,3-dialkoxypropyl glyceryl ether (hereinafter may be abbreviated as "diglycerin dialkyl ether") and its preparation process as well as a cosmetic composition containing same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A number of polyalcohol derivatives containing one or more ether bonds therein are present in the nature. Among such polyalcohol derivatives, monoalkyl ethers of glycerin (called "glyceryl ethers") are particularly well-known. For example, fish lipids contain palmityl glyceryl ether (called "chimyl alcohol"), stearyl glyceryl ether (batyl alcohol) and oleyl glyceryl ether (selachyl alcohol).
These glyceryl ethers have found wide-spread commercial utility as base materials for cosmetic compositions, making use of their w/o emulsification characteristics (Japanese Patent Laid-open Nos. 87612/1974, 92239/1974, and 12109/1977, etc.). Besides, they are also known to have physiological activities such as erythropoietic stimmulating effect for bone marrow, anti-inflammatory effect and anti-tumor effect (Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 10724/1974 and 18171/1977).
Taking a hint from the fact that such glyceryl ethers are unique surfactants having numerous characteristic features, it has been attempted to derive from polyhydric alcohols polyol ether compounds having a molecular structure similar to these glyceryl ethers (in other words, containing one or more ether bonds and hydrophilic OH-groups within their molecules)--U.S. Pat. No. 2,258,892, Japanese Patent Publication No. 18170/1977, Japanese Patent Laid-open Nos. 137905/1978 and 145224/1979, etc. The thus-obtained polyol ether compounds are utilized as base materials for cosmetic compositions owing to their w/o emulsification characteristics (German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2,455,287) and, besides as general emulsifiers, antimicrobial and fungicidal agents.